Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed that the 11th Senate may consider a constitutional amendment proposing a single six-year term for the President and state governors.
Bamidele made the disclosure on Tuesday during proceedings on the floor of the Senate, saying the proposal is aimed at improving governance and allowing elected leaders to focus on service delivery rather than re-election campaigns.
According to him, a single six-year tenure would enable presidents and governors to dedicate their full attention to implementing policies and programmes from the onset of their administration without the distractions associated with seeking a second term.
“I now see why one of the first set of bills that I look forward to moving, by God’s grace, when we come back for the 11th Senate, is a bill that will only make it possible for anyone who wants to be President of this country or governor in any state of this country to spend only one tenure of six years,” Bamidele said.
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He argued that under the current arrangement, many elected officials spend a significant portion of their first term preparing for re-election rather than concentrating fully on governance.
“With this, you don’t even have to worry about wasting almost one and a half years of your first term thinking and struggling and looking forward to how you’ll be re-elected,” he stated.
The Senate Leader maintained that a single tenure would encourage office holders to maximize their opportunity in office and deliver meaningful results within a fixed period.
“If you know you are there for six years, only one tenure, you put in your best from day one. You know this is the only chance that you have,” he added.
Bamidele acknowledged that the proposal may attract differing opinions but stressed that legislative debates and reforms are part of the democratic process.
He noted that laws and constitutional provisions evolve over time to reflect changing realities and national interests.
